14/01/2005

Higher earners could face higher fines

A plan to penalise higher income earners by imposing larger fines for offences has been proposed by the government.

The Management of Offenders and Sentencing Bill proposes to increase the maximum fine for an adult in a magistrates' court to £15,000, £3,000 for offenders aged between 14-17 and between £250 - £750 for those under-fourteen.

An offender's ability to pay is already considered by the courts when dealing with payments of fines. However, the government said that wealthier people should pay more than those on lower incomes. Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, also said that the new system of fines would also take into account the seriousness of the offence.

The new bill also includes plans to extend the use of electronic monitoring and introduce polygraph tests for sex offenders on license.

Commenting on the new bill, Baroness Scotland, Minister for Criminal Justice, said: "The measures in the Management of Offenders and Sentencing Bill will ensure that sentences are managed with a consistency and rigour that will really challenge the individual offender to change their ways and lead a law abiding life on the conclusion of that sentence."

(KMcA/SP)

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